Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-08-05

The following contains answers to
questions sent by parties residing in the
states who contemplate removing to
Idaho.
Question. is there any public land
in YOUR country suitable for agricul-
ture?
Answer.-Yes, although it lies on the
outskirts of the settlements and in the
timber. There are many places where
quarter sections of the best land can
be had for the locating, but generally
speaking public land is getting scarce
and in the settlements there are only
fractions of forty or eighty acres left
for the new corners. The best way tor
new corners to get land is to buy out
pre.emption claim from somebody who
located it to speculate with. BY this
means you can get e quarter section OF
good land in good location with some
improvements for $500 or $500. These
claims usually have house on them and
some fencing and breaking, and the new
conner will find it greatly to his advantage
to secure his claim by purchase.
Question. is the character of
your soil and what does it produce?
Answer.-The soil of this prairie is
black loam in some places sixty feet deep.
1t produces natural grass called bunch
grass which grows thick enough to be
cut and saved. When not cut, it cures
on the stalk and makes very nutritious
feed for stock in the winter.
All the tame grasses such as timothy,
blue grass, orchard grass and all vari-
aties of clover do well. The principal
crop we raise is timothy. This year we
will cut two tons to the acre. Oats,
barley, wheat and fax are the principal
grain crops and they all thrive remark
ably we'll Our wheat crops this year
will be very heavy, averaging thirty
five bushels to the acre. The other crops
will yield equally well.
Ouestion.-Do you have wet and dry
seasons, or rain at all times of the
year?
Answer.-The summer season here is
usually dry, and the spring, fall and
winter are wet. Last year was the
dryest ever known here since the
settlement of the country, but it ralned
every month in the year. Generally
speaking, the spring and fall are rainy
seasons. August and September are the
two dryest months in the year. In the
other ten mouths rain is liable to fall
at any time.
Question.-How long are the winters?
Answer.-We generally get few
frosty nights in November, but winter
rarely commences until late in Decem-
ber. Last winter our farmers were
ploughing up to December %. and III
December of 1885 they were ploughing
as late as December 81. We generally
get one big snow storm in January or
February, but it rarely lays on the
ground more than week owing to the
warm Chinook winds which blow from
the southwest and modify the climate.
The most disagreeable part of the year
is the spring with its cold rains and
mud, but all through the winter and
spring there are weeks when we have
delightfully."- open weather free from
frost. Taking seasons one with another
we have the best and most healthful
climate in the world.
Question. you any running
water, and how deep are your wells?
Answer.-1his is the best watered
country in the universe. On one side
of this prairie flows the Salmon river, a
stream 400 miles long, on the other side
the Clearwater. another large river cir
Giles arouud the prairie. There are ten
or dozen creeks which cross the prai-
rie and put into these rivers. The rock
underlying the soil is porous basalt
which carries underground streams of
water. The presence of these streams
is easily determined by water-witch,
and water is usually found about forty
feet deep. Iu the vicinity of Grangeville
and Mt. Idaho water is found at depth
of ten or twenty feet.
Question. stock are best suited
to your country, and how long do you
feed?
Answer.-Cattle and horses do we'll
here. Stock raising is our principal in
dustry. 1t is not customary to feed
stock. and until the last year or two no
feed was put up for them. as our stock
Taisers preferred to take. their chances
on an open winter. but now they are